What Does `Perfection' Mean?

NFL - Game Day - WEEK 4 - MONDAY MORNING QB

October 4, 2004|By Jerry Greene, Sentinel Columnist

Let's get one thing straight. No matter how many games New England wins -- unless it wins them all during this regular season -- what the Patriots are accomplishing doesn't touch what the Miami Dolphins did in 1972.

The Dolphins had a perfect season.

The Patriots have -- well, what do they have?

The media (yes, that would be me, too) shout that New England won its 18th consecutive game by beating Buffalo 31-17. We will be telling you all week about how the Patriots are among five NFL teams to reach this level -- and how they can be the first to go where no NFL team has gone before.

And that would be true -- but not officially.

If you ask the NFL, the Pats have a 15-game regular-season winning streak and a three-game playoff streak. The NFL, you see, considers the regular season to be somewhat sacrosanct and keeps its streaks separate from playoff streaks.

But the real difference is that the Patriots' accomplishment crosses two seasons, meaning it is not a perfect season.

That's why you haven't seen members of the 1972 Dolphins at any New England games trying to give the Pats the evil eye. Although they might be tempted this weekend because New England can become the first team to win 19 consecutive games (combining regular season and playoffs, don't forget) by beating Miami.

Still, it's that "perfect season" that the old Dolphins cherish to the point of looking boorish. The irony about the way the old Dolphins act now is that 32 years ago, you couldn't get them to even acknowledge they were heading toward an undefeated season.

I know -- because I tried. The Patriots won't talk about it now, either, but the current Patriots are polite. Said quarterback Tom Brady after Sunday's victory: "We worry about things we can control, and that's winning every week."

In other words, he's playing the horrid "One Game at a Time" card, which then-Miami coach Don Shula invented in 1972. The difference is that Shula and most of his players were resentful. When you asked them about a perfect season, they took it as an attempt on your part to distract them, leading to their defeat.

You were the enemy.

I hated their attitude then but understand it now. Those Dolphins did something that never had been done before in the NFL. And despite the amazing display by the current Patriots, the "perfect season" still hasn't been accomplished again.

But I'll leave it up to you to look at the Patriots' schedule and find a loss. Right now, I don't see it.

SCHEDULING BLUES

Poor WKMG-Ch. 6. Circumstances always seem to cause problems for our local CBS affiliate. After announcing it would show the 1 p.m. New England-Buffalo game, WKMG surprised us by showing the Indianapolis-Jacksonville game instead. A spokeswoman said the change was mandated because the Jags did sell out the game in time to avoid a blackout. The decision must have been made late because, while we were watching the Jags, WKMG's automatic phone recording still was saying the station was showing the Patriots.

Meanwhile, DirecTV watchers got to see the first half of the Jets-Dolphins game before someone there realized it was on WKMG in the late afternoon. The game disappeared from DirecTV's "Sunday Ticket" at halftime.

JUST CLICKING AROUND

A collegiate sounding day because of the noise created by home crowds in Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Houston, Jacksonville and, for a brief time, Green Bay.

The injury that caught everyone's attention was the blow to the head that knocked Packers quarterback Brett Favre out of the game -- but only after he returned to the field long enough to throw a 28-yard TD pass on fourth down.

Oddest injury was the muscle tear in the leg of veteran referee Johnny Grier shortly after the start of the Pats-Bills game. He did not return.

Terrell Owens' TD celebration Sunday was six sit-ups (one for each score this season). The Eagles weren't penalized, so is the NFL OK with that?

If anyone possibly could care, Tony Siragusa was in Chicago -- contributing absolutely nothing to that telecast.

Oakland WR Jerry Porter wore diamond earrings while playing but immediately took them off when he left the field. Huh?

MORNING SICKNESS

All the pregame shows had a terrible problem Sunday. No controversy. No breaking news about a drug scandal. No juicy legal tale other than a tame report of plea bargaining in Baltimore. All three shows were left with little to talk about other than, well, football. And that gets boring fast.